No abstract

Blunt breast trauma occurs in 2% of blunt chest injuries. We present the case of a 58-year-old woman with a history of severe chest trauma during a traffic accident. The patient was consulted for deformity in the left breast associated with the use of a seat belt. Breast reconstruction was performed using the Ribeiro inferior dermoglandular flap technique. This technique was originally designed to provide safety in terms of volume and more lasting aesthetic results in mammoplasties. We discuss our case, the surgical technique, and perform a systematic review of the literature on breast reconstruction after blunt chest trauma associated with the use of seat belts. Until now, there is no consensus on reconstructive treatment due to the low incidence of this entity. This is the first case to describe breast reconstruction after blunt chest trauma using the Ribeiro technique.

In recent decades, the mastectomy technique has undergone progressive adaptations in order to preserve the integrity of the breast structure and the nipple-areola complex (NAC), allowing reconstruction to be performed immediately after ablation. However, mastectomy flap necrosis or NAC has become a common complication, with an incidence between 2% and 22.3%. Blood glucose measurement to monitor microsurgical flaps has been reported as a simple method for the early detection of venous compromise. In this scenario, we propose the need to use an alternative, cost-effective method to assess the vitality of NAC in conservative oncological mastectomies. This protocol describes a prospective cohort study and was approved by the Research Protocols Ethics Committee of our institution. Patients will be included after signing informed consent. The anonymity and confidentiality of the information collected will be respected according to the Declaration of Helsinki and according to local and national guidelines. Highlights: The rate of flap necrosis or nipple-areola complex (NAC) after mastectomy with reconstruction ranges from 2% to 22.3%. Glucose measurement has been reported in microsurgical flaps. This protocol seeks to determine the use of glucose as an early predictor of NAC necrosis. Participants will be recruited from a high-volume breast pathology hospital.